Hamshen Armenians

HAMSHEN ARMENIANS… WHO ARE THEY? WHERE THEY COME FROM?

The hamshen civilization fought for centuries to preserve its presence and armenian christian identity. However the genocide continues… Most of the hamshinlis in Turkey have no information about their origins… Their language is no more written… Most of the armenians have no clue who the hamshinlis are or where Hamshen is… Should they be left to their unknown destiny? WE HAVE NATIONAL OBLIGATIONS TOWARDS OUR LOST SISTERS AND BROTHERS!

Now, I will post photos , videos , articles or links about the Hamshen armenians. Maybe we’ll get to know them more, but first let me present their history…

(You can check the posts below)

The origin of Hamshen people goes back to Ardaz province in North Vasburagan region. Vasburagan spanned between Van Lake (Turkey) and Urmya Lake (Iran) and it was considered the heartland of the Armenian Kingdom for many centuries.

The Amadouni Family and Prince Hamam

The Amadouni family is one of the oldest Armenian Princedoms in the Ardaz region. They were very proud and courageous people specialized in agriculture and architecture.

In the 8th century, Prince Hamam and his father Prince Shabuh Amadouni were forced to leave their lands in Ardaz(Vasburagan) under the pressure of the Arab Invasion. The 2 Princes along with their priests, people and soldiers moved to the Black Sea Region where they settled in the destroyed City of Tambur and its surrounding villages (currently Hemshin and ChamliHemshin). Prince Hamam rebuilt the city of Tambur and called it Hamamshen (which in Armenian means Hamam’s city) and over the years Hamamshen became Hamshen in Armenian and Hemshin in Turkish.

Here it should be noted that Shabuh Amaduni’s great grandfather was Vahan Amaduni whose grave still exists until today in the town of Oshagan in Armenia.

Hamam’s people were known as Hamshentsis (Hemshinli in Turkish). For many centuries, their region witnessed a lot of tragedies and bloodshed but due to the strong will of the people and the geography of the territory, they preserved their Armenian Identity, traditions, culture, Christian religion and language for many centuries.
Until the 14th century, Hamshen was a kingdom and was ruled by its princes. Almost each village had its Church and its priest.

The Ottoman Era (14th Century)

With the establishment of the Ottoman Empire, the problems of Hamshen increased. The Ottomans tried with all their powers to convert the local population into Muslim Turks. They either lured the people to waive the taxes for each convert or they used military power to force the conversion. The Hamshentsis were very proud and religious people so the Ottomans had to revert to forceful conversion.

A lot of clashes happened in the Hamsheni villages between the 15th and 19th centuries. Many Hamsheni families left to Karadere where they stayed for another century then had to either migrate again or convert.
In the 18th century, a large group of the Hamshentsis left Hamshen and settled in valleys of Hopa, Borcka and Artvin. These villages still exist until today where the villagers have kept their language.

During the Armenian genocide in 1915, the Hamshentsis paid the price too. Many of them were arrested and deported while others were killed in their cities and villages.

Current Situation:

Currently, there are 3 main groups of Hemshinlis spread over a large geographic area.

1. Eastern Hamshentsis

Eastern Hamshentsis — better known as Hopa Hamshentsis — are the people living in Artvin Province (Turkey); mainly between the cities of Hopa and Borcka. They are dispersed all over Turkey (Ankara, Istanbul, etc…) and Europe (Germany, France). Hopa Hamshentsis are Sunni Muslims. They refer themselves as Homshetsi and their language as Homshetsma (which is basically Armenian).

Hopa Hamshentsis came from Hemsin region during the 18th century. They survived the massacres by converting to Islam but were able to keep their language.
In the 19th century, a large group of Hopa Hamshentsis migrated to the southern part of Adjaria (currently in Georgia) and settled in 6 villages close to the Turkish border. However, in 1944, upon the orders of Stalin they were all deported to Central Asia where they continue to live.

Another group of Hopa Hemshinlis were transferred to several villages of Sakarya province (Achmabashi and nearby villages) during the 1850s where they still live and keep their language.

2. Western Hamshentsis

Western Hamshentsis — better known as Bash Hamshentsis — are the people living in Rize Province (Turkey); mainly in Hemshin, Chamlihemshin and the surrounding villages. They are also dispersed in the main cities of Turkey (Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, etc…) along with Europe and US. Bash Hamshentsis speak Hemshinji (Hemsince: a Turkish dialect with many Armenian letters) and are Sunni Muslims.

3. Northern Hamshentsis

Northern Hamshentsis are the people currently living on the northern and eastern coasts of the Black Sea. Mainly in Abkhazya (Georgia) and Grasnodar (Russia). They migrated from Hemsin, Cemlihemsin, Rize, Trabzon, Samsun and Ordu during 18th and 19th centuries.
They speak Homshetsma (similar to Hopa Hamshentsis). Northern Hamshentsis are Christians and unlike most of their brothers in Turkey they know their Armenian origins and some of them have moved to Armenia in the 20th century.

Hamshen history is mixed with blood and tragedy but it’s the history of a courageous and proud people who continue to remain loyal to its roots and ancestors.

Vahan Amaduni, The great Armenian Prince

In the town of Ashtarak in north Yerevan (Armenia), lies the body of the famous Armenian Prince Vahan Amaduni.
The following Armenian words are engraved on the stone: “Vahan Amaduni, The great Armenian Prince”.

It’s worth noting that Vahan Amaduni is the great grandfather of Shabuh and Hamam Amadunis who are considered the ancestors of the Hamshen people. Hamam Amaduni in 790 along with his father Shabuh escaped the Arab invasion of Anatolia to the Khackar Mountains on the Black Sea coast where they settled in the ruined city of Tambur. The city was renovated and called Hamamshen (Hamam’s city) which over the years became Hamshen.

The importance of this graveyard is that reverses the Turkish theory about the origins of Hamshen people. The falsified Turkish version says that they came from Oghuz tribe in Anatolia and Prince Hamam was a Oghuz prince with arab name but our proof is that prince Hamams great grandfather was Vahan Amaduni and a great Armenian prince as these graveyards and history books show us the truth.

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The Hemshin:
History, Society and Identity in the Highlands
of Northeast Turkey(By Hovann H. Simonian)

In Hamshen dialect the group’s name Vova means “who is it?” (“Ov eh?” in Western Armenian). Their language is one of the oldest Armenian dialects. It’s preserved in Armenian history. Most of the Hameshens in the Eastern Hopa region can speak only Hamshen Armenian (Homshen), while in Rize and in the Western regions, unfortunately they speak mostly Turkish. Thus they are losing their identity. Due to the 400 years of Turkification, many have forgotten their mother tongue.

The group’s aim was to preserve their nation, the Hamshen community and identity, through their language. The easiest way was by music and by singing their centuries-old, marvelous songs about motherland, their mountains, nature, love and marriage, and everyday life: age-old traditions in pure Hamshen Armenian.

The group is composed of male and female musicians and singers. They play modern string instruments and drums. Some are Hamshen Armenians, others have Laz parentage on mother’s or father’s side. All of them excel in hamshen dialect.

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Thanks for a beautiful page. I did know about converted Armenians in Turkey, and thought they were lost souls for the Armenians at large. I am glad in this age of globalization the Hamshenites and others are coming forward. How I wish I was young again to visit their villages and towns and do historical/archeological research.

The youth has to take this and other forgotten research subjects and develop some sort of pan Armenian communication network in motherland with the academy of sciences of Armenia.

Hi all.i didnt know im origin armenian until i have met the internet back in 2004.im from hopa hamshens currently living in uk.when i found out about our ancestors i wasnt suprise because of the language we speak.i was always wondering how we speak this language where my grandparents learned it from.when i asked them they told me in the old days we were living in neighbour village to the armenian villages and armenian girls married to us over the years thats how this language became our language as well.then this answer was good enough to me. When i found about hamshens history i relise than,the language doesnt become nations mother language biy living next to other nations villages or girls marriying to other nation.this was the strong evidence that we are not turks.today hamshens live in uk mostly accepted their origin.but the ones in turkey most of them they think they origin oguz turks.when i did try to explain to my relatives and friends they called me all the names and accused me being westernised by living in england.try to explain the language stuation some understood and asked me who we are, and most of them didnt want to know.and last year i told this to my grandfather about the language and he seemed convinced but wouldnt say he is armenian origin because of being armenian in turkey is very bad accordig to turks.

Homsetsi axbar soyis ta?, yes al hamshtesim, asxar egatisim Khazakhastan,
We are also Muslim, but my family always knew and accepted we are Armenian, my grandfather never denied his armenian identity.. We moved to Russia and finaly settled in Sochi, met thousands of our Christian brothers and sisters, and now we know 100% who and where we are from.

I do not know how you came to realization about your background, but anyhow if really really you feel something in your soul, than persue the truth. If it is going to give you trouble in your immediate family circle, than educate yourself about your background, history, songs/music. There is quite large a Armenian community in London, UK. Well educated Armenian professionals, who can help you to clarify questions that you may have. First educate yourself, learn, listen and think. I wish you good luck. Anahid

Hamshenis know who they are better than you think. As for you to imply an educational start before to find out who they are, I’d say you are the one who needs an education to start with social behavior, when you’re posting messages on public message boards. That’s very rude of you to imply that hamshenis are not educated or mentally efficient. Now I am troubled by your idiotic references.

It’s different to encourage them to research and study their ancestral roots from advising them to get educated. I hope you do understand the difference between getting educated vs research/study. Your reference is very disrespectful and troublesome.

Homsetsi, you are very courageous to withstand such a resistance even from your own family. Nowadays it’s hard to deal with family members, but to reach out to others even worse. I sincerely congratulate you for your courage and discoveries about your native background. Hiding an identity and trying to live all your life in a stealthy mode is equivalent to living on knees. Yes it’s true that it’s hard enough to be an Armenian yet live in turkey, where Turkish natives themselves do not enjoy freedom from government oppressions. I will say that your discovery about your ancestral roots should provide you with a peace of mind, at least you won’t be haunted by phantoms trying to identify yourself. I personally couldn’t enjoy a moment in my life while trying to find out who I am with languishing thoughts in the back of my mind. And it’s not only a great torment for hamshenis, but also for the Armenian mainstream. To a certain degree there’s a sense of urgency on our side too, while trying to determine what happened and why one nation segregated into two distinct cultural isolation.

I’m glad you found an answer, and one day perhaps you will be able to convince your family members too, to recognize the truth. But remember, the hamshenis must primarily help themselves in search for answers. If Armenians try to get involved heavily in the process, Turkish government will throw another spotlight on Armenia blaming Armenians for probing around Turkish internal affairs, in an attempt to create turmoil and public unrest.

Homsetsi, ask your grandfather, what happened to those Armenian villages? Where are they now? 😂 you made the correct assessment. You just simply don’t learn an old Armenian dialect by simply socializing with them unless you were born in it. If those claims had any validity, then Hamshenis would have learned the regular Western Armenian dialect which nowadays widely spoken by Turkish Armenians. Hamsheni dialect is very close dialect to Karabagh dialect and I am native of Karabagh. In our dialect there are many similarities with hamsheni pronunciation. Words like okht@, ott, (7, 8). Kna, yek, etc. both our dialects are derived from ancient Armenian dialect that preserved through isolation. Our dialect has the direct bearings of Hurro-Urartian language, that has been preserved since 2500 BC, through isolation of cultural practices in mountainous regions that did not serve as a bridge for Neolithic Eurasian migrations. Most of the Armenian highlands came under the passages of those Indo-European migrations. But after 1500 BC Armenian population remained isolated from other regional influences. So our dialects have remained intact and pure from the source of its origination. If you dig into both dialects, you’ll discover that the two dialects are more closely related than they are related to modern Armenian dialect which was a subject to constant development and modernization. I grew up in a village called Martunashen now azeris renamed it KARABULAQ, and I moved to Armenia when I was 16 years old to attend college. I was very embarrassed speaking an ancient dialect that sounds very different from modern Armenian language. Itself should be evident that our dialects are very old, dating back to before the common era. It preserved through isolation. In our village you couldn’t find a single Azeri native or any other than our ancient villagers alone. The only woman who spoke the Western Armenian dialect she was from Erzurum, who escaped genocide in 1915 and came to our village with her mother while the rest of her family members were killed. She used to tell those terrifying events when I was little boy. Her name was Nargiz. She would walk into the forest to chop wood and carried on her back. She would sit on our bench and chat with me. I’d ask her, Auntie Nargiz why is your accent so different from ours? She’d say my dear boy that’s because I am from Erzurum. Not that I understood what and where Erzurum was, but the whole thing appealed to me like a movie, when she was telling how Turks killed her father, two brothers and uncles, while they deported her mother with two young girls, she was 11 at the time and her little sister was 9. The little sister died in the deserts during the deportation, and she and her mother made it to our village where her mother died shortly. She was raised by my grandparents until she was adult. She never got married and no children. She didn’t have any relatives anywhere. She died in late 80s and my parents buried her. I was devastated by her testimonies regarding the genocide. So our nation sustained lots of abuse and damages due to their distinct and standout culture and religion. That’s our destiny. There’s no escape from it. Take it or leave it.

The Hemshemsi, had Islam forced on them, they should reject that and reclaim their Christian identity with pride and return to full communion with the Armenian people and the wider Christian community. I wish them well in their struggle.

i was just searching on the internet for hamshen history and culture. i am a born-and-bred trabzon guy who is keen on exploring his roots. my family lives in a small coastal town of trabzon, both maternal and paternal line is supposed to be from trabzon.

but when i had the opportunity to have my and one of my relative’s dna tested, i realized i have many armenians, greek and also turkish dna relatives. but almost %100 of the strong and close relatives of me having Hemshin origins, it is occurred to me that my maternal line probably from Hemshin area.

I don’t know whether you are interested on these dna stuff but when i use admixture analyses to find out which ethnic group my dna is close to, i always got the result “Armenian”. my family (as far as i know, both maternally and paternally) never spoke a language other than Turkish, but when i compare my results even with some known Armenians, I seem closer to Armenian profile.

It is really surprising for me…It’s like to find out your father actually is not your father. I also feel like an adopted son. I know, it’s at least 200 years when my ancestors moved to other places in search of a peaceful area for their family and at last, probably, they had no chance other than converting their religion.

a note for the interested, my dna relatives are mostly from Hopa, Erzurum Sper (Khodorchur)

Wanderer, that’s very interesting. You had a great courage to investigate your roots through DNA test. Yes I totally concur with you with the DNA results. Armenians are closely related to Turkish populations due to the emerging cultural coexistence. Anatolia was heavily populated by Armenians, Greeks , Kurds, romans, Persians or Persian Seljuks then later oghuz Turks. But the Armenians and Greeks are the fundamental and native habitants of ancient Anatolia, descendants of ancient Hittites, Mitanni, etc. you should be proud of your ancestral richness. And yes, Hamshenis did convert to Islam due to various oppressions and persecutions by other muslims due to their Christian religion. They did what they had to do to survive. And the religious segregation perhaps was the blame for their native segregation from Armenian mainstream.

It is very interesting that in present turkey people little by little are finding really who they are. I am assuming if they do dna test on all people who clam they are Turks ( maybe 60-70 million) only 10% will have Mongol dna ( this people are real Mongol-Tatars) the rest are other nationalities like Armenian, Assyrian, Greeks. Also remember from history Byzantium where this people are now? turks by force made other nations to call themselves turks . What happened to Armenians who survived’. yes they changed there name, nationality and religion to survive. Generation after generation they forgot ( actually there parents keep it secret from there children, if not turks would destroy them). Now turks took rode to Europe and that made rules more softer for people to find there real identity. I am welcoming persons who have courage and are brave go after the truth and accept reality. REMEMBER if you don’t now your roots you will never find peace with yourself. turks must remmeber which part of there dna is mongols or Jewish. They have to know who are doma turks like atta turk and the rest of there heroes.

Hi all,
I was really glad to read such detailed and interesting article about Hamshen armenians, and meet people interested in Hamshen issue. My great grandparents lost their families during the Genocide and moved to Abkhazia, where created new family and where I was born as well. My grandma is Jenikci and grandfather was Inneici (usually all armenians there used to identify themselves based on their origin and place they came from as Ordeici from Ordu or Trabzonci from Trabzon, etc). We are northern hamshentsi, who are christians with their dialect,culture, tradition, cuisine (with special dishes as yoka or turshi), dances, music, songs and mni (short humorous songs). And it was nice to find some proverbs above, taken from day-to-day life of locals and describing their habits and values as well. I am really proud of my roots and who I am.